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Applying to schools in various regions?

profile427profile427 Alum Member
in General 213 karma
Hi All,

My beau is in the process of applying for jobs all over the place. Previously, I had thought that we would stay put in Chicago, which is why I was going to focus on LUC and Chicago Kent (ahem, and roll the dice on NU).

Any tips on trying to figure out applying to schools in various locations? My guy is a scientist, so the whole job search process is really topsy turvy, so I feel like I'm in a situation where I just have to cast a bunch of apps & figure things out from there. I didn't really expect to be in this situation. Adventure time? It's kind of overwhelming to try to pump myself up for a major score jump in the LSAT with the idea of applying to a bunch of schools that I'm unable to figure out, except in the virtual world.

Thanks, all!
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  • NYC12345NYC12345 Alum Inactive Sage
    edited June 2015 1654 karma
    Outside of the T14, where you go to school will determine where you will work. Apply to schools in areas where you will enjoy working and living. I'm not familiar with the Midwest, but in NY there are T14 schools (NYU and Columbi), strong regionals (Fordham), and regular regionals (Cardozo, Brooklyn, St.John's, Pace, Hofstra, NYLS and CUNY). The students who go to Fordham, the strong regional, have fairly good job prospects for a regional school. Around 25% of he class gets jobs at large firms. The employment outcomes for students at the regular regional schools, however, are not as good, to say the least. The reason I'm telling you all this is because you should not only aim to go to a region in which you would enjoy living and working, but you should target schools that have a strong alumni base and are respected in the local legal market. Examples of these kinds of schools are GW, Fordham, BU, BC, Vanderbilt, UT Austin, UCLA, USC, Iowa, Alabama, Minnesota, etc. As you are probably well aware of, the legal market is not great for people who don't go to top schools or who do not graduate at the top of their class from strong regionals.
    @profile427
  • profile427profile427 Alum Member
    213 karma
    Thanks, @alexandergreene93! It sure is a lot to think about, to say the least. He has an interview tomorrow for an MIT position, and so he says that I can go to Harvard (to which I roll my eyes and say "yeah, once I get a 180 on the LSAT...")! :)
  • NYC12345NYC12345 Alum Inactive Sage
    1654 karma
    BU and BC are in that area, and as I mentioned in my previous post, there are highly regarded in the Boston legal market.
  • NYC12345NYC12345 Alum Inactive Sage
    1654 karma
    Also, a 172-173 can get someone into Harvard, depending on the applicant's gpa.
  • profile427profile427 Alum Member
    213 karma
    Thanks for the info @alexandergreene93. This is going to be quite the adventure figuring this all out!
  • PacificoPacifico Alum Inactive ⭐
    8021 karma
    Three years can change a lot in one's life so I would not attend a lower ranked school where he gets a job now since he might not be working there once you graduate and then you're the one essentially stuck in that market. If I were you I would blanket the T14 that you could have a realistic shot at so you could have more mobility. Then apply to some regionals in places you would be interested in actually practicing law. If he can get a job at MIT he can get a job pretty much anywhere so he should be following you and not the other way around. Also if the two of you are in it for the long haul, then being apart for law school shouldn't matter and where he is during that time shouldn't affect your decision. If you could get into a UCLA or UT and be by yourself then that is much more beneficial in the long run than a Tier 3 school where you get to be together.
  • nicole.hopkinsnicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    7965 karma
    @alexandergreene93 said:
    Examples of these kinds of schools are GW, Fordham, BU, BC, Vanderbilt, UT Austin, UCLA, USC, Iowa, Alabama, Minnesota, etc.
    Not sure I'd call Texas a regional school ... It's #15 which, last time I checked, is only one higher than #14 ;)

    I'll add SMU to this list but with the caveat that SMU only really has good employment prospects for Texas.
    @Pacifico said:
    Three years can change a lot in one's life so I would not attend a lower ranked school where he gets a job now since he might not be working there once you graduate and then you're the one essentially stuck in that market.
    Agree heartily with this.

    OP, I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say: you do you. You do not want to make these kinds of extremely expensive choices based on someone else's career. I mean, it worked for Elle Woods, but Harvard is Harvard. It would really be unfortunate to put yourself in the position of massive debt at a regional school and then end up with a jeopardized career before you're able to make a lateral move as an attorney.
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